Beauty In All Seasons

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3:11‬‬‬ (ESV)

Flower preservation: sometimes beauty is redefined as we are refined.

Recently, I got into experimenting with flowers to keep them longer. I called them my “forever flowers”, because for once, I wouldn’t have to throw them away. I knew that my cat wouldn’t be able to chew at them and that they had a purpose beyond the vase. I’d have a memory that extended beyond a vivid memory or a picture on my phone.

I learned air drying techniques. I pressed petals in books and papers to flatten them. I framed them. I crafted them into resin necklaces. I baked rose petals in the oven. The rougher texture and darker color made for a nice decoration and maintained their scent, almost like potpurri. I made them for myself and for friends’ special events.

Like the petals of a flower, we can wither away over time. When we’ve been through a season for a while, we can lose that spark of joy and life we once had.

Or, if we’re careful, we can prepare for the the inevitable season coming up ahead. We know it won’t be easy, but the end product will be great.

Sometimes it requires going through the fire or getting pressed. The petals take on a new form for a new assignment. And when they’re ready, they look nothing like they did before. They look different, but are still beautiful. Still worthy of keeping. Still worthy of putting on display for the world to see. Still priceless.

Our perception of beauty might shift in different seasons; old habits can’t always be sustained in new territory. But it doesn’t mean that life isn’t beautiful. We just have to redefine what “beautiful” looks like in our every day. And that can be a really good thing.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God “has made everything beautiful in its time” (ESV). The verb “has made” is in the present perfect tense; God already made all things beautiful, he started to and is still making all things beautiful. And as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, nothing else could be more worthy, lovely, or valuable than his creation.

His timing is perfect. He knows when we will flourish, and he knows when we’ll be going through the fire. But he still has made all things beautiful. We just need to expand our view of beauty; what we consider beautiful could never compare to how God sees his great creation. Psalm 139:14 says that we each are fearfully and wonderfully made; that God made us as a wonderful work. We are beautiful and worthy, and so are our the details of our lives. Maybe this season, things seem darker. But we can trust that, when brought to light, you will find the beauty.

This year looked nothing like I would have anticipated. There was hurt and heartbreak, confusion and sickness. But I choose to see the beauty beyond the battles. I had a solid community supporting me. I got involved in different serving positions at my church office, going beyond Sunday mornings. God met me where I was at every day and he was my comfort and strength. While there were parts of my story that felt like forgotten, withered petals – the dreams that didn’t make it – I choose to frame the lovely things. I focus on the beautiful that came from the not-so-glamorous circumstances. It was crushing and pressing at times, but I made it through. And now I can see the parts worth remembering, God’s faithfulness being at the center of it all.